Windshield protector and cleaner for airplanes



Feb. 23, 1943. w. N. PATTERSON 4 2,312,187

WINDSHIELD PROTECTOR AND CLEANER FOR AIRPLANES' Filed Aug. 29, 1941 2Sheets- Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Mama/K Para/way fray/Wm.

Feb. 23, 1943. w. N. PATTERSON I 2,312,137 WINDSHIELD PROTECT OR ANDCLEANER FOR AIRPLANES v i Filed Aug. 29, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 II NINVENTOR.

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Patented Pet. 23, 1943 OFFICE WINDSHIELD PROTECTOR AND CLEANER FORAIRPLANES William N. Patterson, Detroit, Mich, assignor to PattersonIndustries Incorporated, Detroit, Miclu, a corporation of MichiganApplication August 29, 19M, Serial No. 408,872

6 Claims.

This invention relates to windshield protectors and cleaners,particularly tor highspeed vehicles such as airplanes.

In a copending application Serial No. M81778,

filed August 29, 1941, I have described and claimed a windshield cleanerand protector which uses a rotating set of radial high velocity jets ofair or air and liquid for protecting the shield against the depositionof rain, snow, ice, etc.

This improvement is a windshield protector and cleaner which isespecially adapted to be usedin connection with curved Windshields. Myother improvement is not very well adapted for curvedwlndshields, forthe reason that it delivers 9. ourtain of high pressure fluid which mustnecessarily be in one plane, on account of the rotating distributor.

It is the object of the present'invention to provide a windshieldcleaner operating with high velocity jets, which is adapted for a curvedshield and which aiiords non-continuous Jets to prevent a vacuumadjacent the jets.

. Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of an, airplane equipped with myimproved windshield protector and cleaner.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 41s a section on the line ,t-l of Fig. 1.

Fig. is a-longitudinal section throush the distributing tube.

The air distributing-tube l is located below the cowl 2. This isprovided with a plurality of nipples 3 which screw into the side of thetube i and are provided each with an air nozzle 4 and a. liquid nozzle5. The liquid nozzle 5 Joins the air nozzle 4 at an acute angle near themouth of the nozzle. The liquid nozzle is connected by conduit 6 with apipe I which furnishes alcohol or, some other non-freezing liquid. Thesenipples 8 direct a stream of air or stream of air and liquid acrosswindshield 8 and substantially parallel therewith. Motor M drives gearsI which operate the driving shaft it which is provided with suitableuniversal passes through each valve and throush the port chamber ll.-These valves have the port cham-.

bers of adjoining valves located 180 removed one This is necessarybecause the distributing tube is curved or arcuate in order to fit fromthe other, as shown in Fig. 3. Hence, when the shaft is rotated, theport chamber which extends substantially 180. around the valve, willregister with the port I! into which is s crewedthe nipple 3, during onehalf ofa revolution, and, consequently, the operation 01' adjoining jetswill be staggered. Jet No. 1 will be on for half a turn of theshaft,then cease, and jet No. 2 will come on for half a turn of the shaft,while Jet No. 1 is shut off, and so the arrangement is all along theline of jets. The purpose of this is to periodically alternate the jetsso as to break down the vacuum which would otherwise occur if ajet wereto operate continuously. By intermittently operating the jets, little orno vacuum is built up to pull rain, dirt, smoke, and other material ontothe shield. This, in quite a diflerent way, accomplishes the samepurpose which is accomplished in my application first above referred to,by means 01 having one Jet of a rotating distributor in communicationwith the fluid during only half a turn of the distributor.

What I claim is:

i. In P windshield protector and cleaner, the combination of astationary distributing tube provided with a plurality of nozzlesiordelivering high velocity jets across and substantially parallel to awindshield, and valve means rotatable in said tube for opening andcutting oil the supply '0! high pressure fluid to said jets in alternatesequence. y

2. In a windshield protector and cleaner, the combination of astationary distributing tube provided with a plurality of nozzles fordelivering 1 high velocty jets across and substantially parallel to awindshield, and a plurality of valves rotating in said tube, connectedby a drive shaft and arranged to open alternate nozzles simultaneouslyand in time sequence to adjacent nozzles..

, 3. In a windshield protector and cleanerflthe combination of astationary distributing tube provided with a plurality of nozzles fordelivering high velocity jets across and substantially parallel to awindshield, a plurality of valves rotating in said tube and connected bya drive shaft, each valve having a port chamber covering substantiallyand registering with the opening in the nipple and tube for one half. arevolution of said valve, and arranged to open adjacent nipples in aregular time s q ence;

4. In a windshield protector and cleaner, the combination of a curveddistributing tube for fitting around a curved windshield, said tubeprovided with a plurality of nozzles for delivering high velocity Jetsacross and substantially parallelto a windshielmfland-valve meansrotatable in said tube alternately opening and cutting of:

Y the supply of high pressure fluid to said jets, and

arranged to open adiacentnipples in a regular time sequence.

a 5. In a windshield protector. and cleaner, the a combination eracuriedulstrmutihg tube for fitting around-a windshield, said tubeprovlded with a plurality of nomles ior delvering high velocity Jetsacross and substantially paral lel to a windshield. and valve meansrotatable in said tube for alternately opening andcutting oil the supplyof high pressure-fluid to said lets, the

said valves being located'atspace'dpoints along Iii" vided with aplurality oi nozzles for deliveri i h elq it ets across an up t nt a lparallelito -a windshield, and valve means rotatable in said tub'fo'ralternately opening and cutting of! 10 the supply of high pressure fluidto said jets, the

said valves being located at spaced points along the eurvedjtube,"oneadjacent each nipple and staggered in cutting of! and on in theiroperation.

' N. PATTERSON.

